Tuesday, 26 February 2013

Review: The Pocketbook Guide to MHA Assessments

Claire Barcham is an
AMHP who has been closely involved for a long time with the development of AMHP
practice, including involvement with The College of Social Work as a professional practice development advisor.
Based on her own experience, she has
written a clear and concise guide to Mental Health Act Assessments.

The book is very easy
to navigate (take note, Richard Jones). Of course, it is not purporting to be
as painstaking and detailed as the Mental Health Act Manual, but is more
designed to provide a practical guide to the basic process of assessing people
under the MHA.

The book is in five
parts: The Legal Landscape; Setting up Mental Health Act assessments; Managing
MHA assessments and making decisions; Implementing decisions and admission to hospital;
and rounding off with the newest addition to the MHA, Community Treatment
Orders, in a section on Working with Compulsion in the Community.

The first section places
the MHA within the wider legal context, including the Human Rights Act and the
Mental Capacity Act. It also usefully looks at the interface between the
Children Act 1989 and the MHA when considering detaining a child.

The second section
concentrates on the process of setting up assessments, including the gathering
of relevant information, making assessments of risk and urgency, and looking at
alternatives. She then reviews the different sorts of situations in which MHA
assessments arise, eg following Sec.5(2) and Sec.136, whether the assessment is
in hospital or in the community, and also looks at Sec.135. There is a good
analysis of issues relating to the Nearest Relative, including identification
and displacement.

The third section
concentrates on the actual assessment. This includes interviewing in a suitable
manner, a breakdown of each individual section that involves detention, and the
necessary criteria for admission under the MHA.

The fourth section
looks at the process once a decision has been made. This importantly includes
what needs to go on the section papers in order to ensure that they are legal
and valid. Guidance on conveyance to hospital is included, as well as a helpful
guidance for nurses and staff who receive the patient and the paperwork.

The final section
compares and contrasts the various methods by which patients can be maintained
in the community. This includes appropriate use of Sec.17 leave, guardianship,
and of course, Community Treatment Orders.

Each section is heavily
interspersed with examples from practice, as well as explicit references to
legal issues, and also helpful reminders about other relevant legislation to
bear in mind in certain situations, in particular, where the Mental Capacity
Act may be considered, as well as checklists to guide one through each part of
the overall process.

While experienced AMHP’s
would probably not need to dip into this book that often, I would
wholeheartedly recommend it as a very useful resource for AMHP trainees, social
work and mental health nursing students, nurses, police, service users, and
indeed anyone with a personal or professional interest in mental healthand the Mental Health Act.

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About Me

I am an Approved Mental Health Professional working in a semi-rural area in England. I have practised under 3 Mental Health Acts, since as long ago as 1981, even before the 1983 Mental Health Act. Which makes me pretty ancient now.
This blog is designed to illuminate and explain the functions and dlimemmas of an AMHP within the Mental Health Act. It is intended to be of help to professionals and service users alike. I hope that it is both informative and entertaining.
I am also a freelance trainer, and a part time tutor on an AMHP course. I've appeared at conferences all over England and Wales. If you'd like to book me for your conference or training event just send me an email.